Ruthra finally found the bay, the badge blinked, signaling no access. A voice came over the speaker of the clearance system:
– Who are you?
– I'm here at Ruzi's request," Ruthra explained and introduced himself. – You can call me Dr. Rutra.
A few seconds later, the door opened. Behind the door, a man sat on a special device. He was an invalid, just as Ruzi had warned. He had something that looked like an outgrowth instead of legs. He had probably had polio as a child.
– I'm Dr. Gabo," he introduced himself, while looking intently at Rutra, "pausing" to study his eyes, then opening his own wide.
Ruthra realized what this was all about.
– Come in, just call me Gabo. Come with me.
He, sitting on something that looked like a cushion, pressed a button on a key fob that hung from his belt, the "cushion" moved it to the side, no leverage or hydraulics. It was a magnetic cushion rig, it literally floated in the air. Gabo pressed another button and "flew" forward.
– It's convenient with the button, you know exactly what you thought and duplicate it physically," he commented on the process, realizing that for someone who is allowed into such "holy of holies", it's backward technology.
Ruthra followed him. Soon they were in a room as empty and mirrored as all the corridors. Gabo pulled an object from his pocket that looked like a flashlight and inserted it into a hole in the floor. What happened next prompted Rutru to think that there was something else that could surprise him. Light "poured" from the flashlight, there was no other way to explain it. The blue light slowly began to illuminate and envelope Rutru and Gabo in a "dome". Soon the mirrored walls were no longer visible and neither were the floor and ceiling. They were inside the sphere.
– We've got half an hour before this gets suspicious. If anything, you and I were talking about the properties of the photoelectric effect. Alibis are important. I hope you don't get confused.
– Which one?
– The one that won Einstein the Nobel Prize.
– About the 3rd law of the photoelectric effect?
– All of them.
– Be more specific.
Ruthra asked for clarification, since Gabo had emphasized that the alibi was important. Rutra understood it himself, not quite realizing the essence of the meeting yet. And clarifications were needed, because the entire photoeffect was explained in 1905 by Albert Einstein on the basis of Max Planck's hypothesis about the quantum nature of light. For which, in 1921, he, thanks to the nomination of Swedish physicist Carl Wilhelm Oseen, received the Nobel Prize.
– It's not that hard to explain if the discovery has already been made," Gabo replied, thus making it clear that he understood the "topic", and at the same time it was a "marker" for the reaction by which they began to understand "their topic".
– Well, that explains it, now for the main point," Ruthra said.
– Are you the scientist Ruzi warned me about?
– I guess. I don't know what she warned you about or when.
– She's known about your visit for a long time. What are you interested in?
– Encryption, decryption, masking of the signal source. Covert, top-secret dual-purpose installations that can be used for this purpose.
– Why would you do that?
– We picked up a signal that the coded system accepted as valid.
– So what?
– This system is the Perimeter Program. Do you know about it?
– Oh, yeah. That's it?
Rutra didn't like that Gabo wasn't serious about what he said, so he decided to change the subject. As it turned out, it didn't work.
– Ruzi said you were going to tell me about a certain Lazarus.
– She got the point. Did you get any signals from outer space?
– I counseled, there was this version as well.
Ruthra remembered the scientist in the hallway, after counseling.
– There are much more fantastic things going on here, perhaps they are connected in a single chain," Gabo said mysteriously, his voice changing. – If you are interested in the story connected with Lazar, listen. One night in May 1989, a Las Vegas radio station broadcast an unusual story. A young physicist, speaking under the pseudonym Dennis, told of nine "flying saucers" being investigated by a small government group at a secret base near Groom Lake. Dennis stated that he had worked at the base and was very knowledgeable about its research and development.
– And what did he narrate? – Rutra asked, with the same intonation that Gabo had used before, as if to declare a commitment to empirical reasoning.
Gabo moved to the table and now no longer unwittingly distracted by his appearance, coupled with the "magic" installation on which he sat, businesslike, like a former veteran, began to tell a certain story.
– Robert Lazar was assigned to Area-51 for research, and then to an even more classified location, here in S4. Had you heard anything about her before? – he asked abruptly.
– How on earth could I have ended up here? Before Lazar was in the media, Soviet satellites photographed Area 51 and S4 three times a month. After Lazar spoke on television about the ongoing projects in S4, the Soviets began photographing the dry lake area almost daily. The initial Soviet interest in this area in Nevada was sparked by information about the Stealth and SR71 projects underway in Area-51.
– Understandable, but factual – the alien technology was researched and implemented in S4, not there.
– What did you do directly with Lazar?
– I helped him at the time, everything I know I know from his words.
– Which is what?
– Here scientists were engaged not only in physical and technical research, but also familiarized themselves with various aspects of everything that concerns aliens from outer space. According to Lazar, evolution on Earth has been controlled by aliens for many millennia, and for the past 15 years there has been a direct exchange of technology between them and the S4 scientists.
A quiet beeping sounded in the room.
– Come on, time's up," Gabo said fearfully. – I'll show you something. You don't need a pass, I'm the boss. Then we'll come back and talk about what must not be known.
– You don't know me at all. Are you recruiting me? – Ruthra asked, surprised at this trust in him.
– You worked with Alikhanov, that's enough," he replied calmly and confidently, turned off the flashlight, then "flew" into the next corridor.
Ruthra followed him. Soon they were in front of the doors, behind which the guide claimed was the underground complex that held the most secret of all. They went down there, entering the compartment itself. It was interesting, among other things, to watch the movement on Gabo's rig. Watching it, involuntarily his stories no longer seemed so fantastic.
– Look… what's in here. Can you imagine this? – he asked Rutra as soon as they crossed the threshold.
In the center of the huge hangar was something that could really be mistaken for what everyone called a "flying saucer". Ruthra was used to it, so he wasn't even surprised. He decided to see if it was an experiment or a real working model.
– This is the 'saucer' that was available to Lazar for research," Rutre Gabo introduced it.
– Have you been working on it?
– This place is called the Gravitational Systems Laboratory, Lazar's primary workplace, where he was paired with a scientist named Barry Castillo. The Galileo project Lazar was involved in was to study the physics and mechanics of the saucer's propulsion system. His attention was also attracted to the Sidekick and Looking Glass projects, as they addressed the problems of gravitational forces. The former was devoted to research on beam weapons, and the latter to all observed anomalous gravitational effects.
Ruthra had a doubt about that; he knew too much and in too much detail, all from the words of a certain mythical Lazar.
– What is the gist of it all, why are you telling me this, what is the secrecy of the story presented in parts? – Ruthra asked, pointing sideways, alluding to the part of the story in the Lightroom and here.
– Didn't you talk to Ruzi?
– Saying.
– Then listen up.
"Perhaps the semantic climax is ahead of us," Ruthra thought, and decided to listen to the whole story.
– Such observed UFO phenomena as instant disappearance, rotations at almost impossible angles, changes in shape and color, occur due to distortion of space around the UFO. A sort of "gravitational bubble" is formed, containing the saucer inside. In this mode of operation, it can become invisible to an outside observer, although it will still be in the same place.
Ruthra's hair stood on end as she heard the explanation, excitement surging like a tornado.
– Wait, wait, I saw something like that the other day. What about the light? Why do we see what's behind the object?
– The light coming from the object behind the "flying saucer" will go to the observer not in a straight line, but bypassing the "bubble", giving the person the illusion that there is nothing between him and the object.
– I see. What else? – Ruthra asked, hoping to learn something else "close" to his interests.
The last questions changed the expression on Gabo's face. He could clearly see that he was pleased at Rutra's interest. He went on with great enthusiasm.
There was something behind it all, but Ruthra couldn't make it out yet. He and Gabo walked a little farther into the compartment, to where the work was being done. There Gabo continued his explanation.
– Soviet scientists also took part in the project. One of them was Alikhanov. He was the first to come to a conclusion about the energy source for the plates. Immediately after this discovery, the Soviet scientists were kicked out of S4.
– So why were they kicked out?
– I don't know, even I have limited access to all the information.
– Who knows?
– I don't know, I thought that's why you were here.
– I told you why I'm here.
– I'm sorry, we both understand the structure we work in, your legend is too simple.
– That's funny. Go ahead.
– Someone wanted to know their secrets. Do you understand me? To have power over the world. A world government, a new world order. Do you understand?
– I've heard that, too. Everyone here seems to be concerned about it. You're telling me this responsibly, as a scientist? I'm sorry, your story is too fantastic. Could it be some top-secret service posing as aliens? Did you see them yourself?
– Not by sight itself, only by cause and effect. You will not deny the existence of the Sun if you see only its light, will you? There's no such thing as an effect without a cause. The alien equipment and technology was left at the base, which scientists have since investigated on their own, trying to understand and recreate them under Earth conditions. Some of the results of regenerative engineering are the basis for scientific and technological advances, especially in the military field, what we're doing now. They are very pale, albino, with little or no hair cover, and the skin is almost transparent, with the entire subcutaneous circulatory system visible through it. The organs of hearing have virtually no ear buds. This gave reason to say that aliens communicate telepathically.
Ruthra remembered the "alien" on the "last frontier" and the "polygon-style" mental communication.
– In fact, they may simply use a higher sound frequency than humans. For more evolved beings, this makes sense: the higher the frequency, the more information can be transmitted per unit of time. Perhaps they have a chip in their brain. By the way, does that mean anything to you? You are familiar with it, aren't you? – Gabo asked, looking suspiciously at Rutra.
Ruthra smiled in response.
– Did you see them? – Ruthra asked a second time, also looking at the doctor suspiciously.
– No," Gabo replied without a shadow of embarrassment.
– Don't you think your friend has an overactive imagination? Maybe it was those kind of people.
– People like that? What kind of people? What was done to them, why hide them?
Ruthra looked at the scientist from a different angle: an invalid, locked in here, constantly communicating with his imaginary peers, living under the strictest regime of secrecy and non-disclosure, where the next cubicle was no less of a secret than the one on the other side of the world. All of this left an indelible imprint on the worldview. There may have been aliens, though. Why not? Why is it assumed that if they were real, everyone should know about it. Naturally, it would be a secret, more secret than anything else. All the more so if the power in the land of the powerful depended on them. After all that had been said, their existence was not so implausible to Ruthra. Most likely something existed, but not quite what the stories said. At least their "spirit" was in the air here, like atmospheric pressure, whose degree we cannot know without instruments, but whose rise and fall we can feel.
Despite his fatigue, Ruthra decided to listen.
– I'm listening to you, very interesting.
– So, according to the information given by these, as you called, "such people", they completely control and correct human evolution, directing it in the direction they want. They consider a human being only as a genetic container, that's roughly what they call it. The main tool of the aliens in changing DNA is a virus, as it is the only organism capable of transmitting a new genetic code to humans.
Ruthra wanted to say that he had heard that, but decided to keep quiet. Apparently, this topic had been discussed many times here and was a household name.
– Maybe we should talk about this later. I don't have much time, to be honest," Ruthra tried to hint that he wasn't here for that.
– I'll make it quick. Believe me, it's important," Gabo said, and in his gaze, as in Ruzi's, Ruthra saw bitterness, sadness, and hope.
– Religions have been brought to Earth to preserve the "containers" from destruction. The aliens also claim to be able to covertly influence the human psyche.
– Something like this I've heard before and I think I've seen.
Ruthra thought, "And participated too."
– I understand from your story that the aliens were here and left after the conflict.
– Yeah. (chuckles)
– Is there documented evidence of this?
– This information is not provided to me, all documents are seized.
– In reality, could it be just a fiction?
– Fiction? And this? – he pointed to the saucer. – And the technology used?
– Perhaps humans invented it all, but in order to hide the true inventors, they came up with this legend," Ruthra explained his position.
– Look, touch me, I'm real," Gabo said with some indignation.
Ruthra smiled.
– I understand you, but you should also understand that what you say is very fantastic. Besides, I beg your pardon, and you, with a special imagination, can be mistaken for an extraterrestrial inhabitant.
– I see, and you too, and I believed Ruzi.
– I'm fine, I just don't understand what's required of me.
– Since you are here, you are a very important, influential, high-powered scientist. We want you to help us get free and use our achievements in commerce.
– I see. That's the whole point. I take it Lazar used everything for commercial purposes, too? By the way, what happened after his revelation?
– The story of Robert Lazar shook not only the ufological community, but also, due to its specificity, made a lot of noise among scientists and ordinary citizens.
– He wasn't afraid? This whole thing looks like a deliberate leak.
– About him divulging state secrets?
– Yeah. (chuckles)
– He was intimidated by the court, his car was shot at. An investigation was launched into the case. The people who worked with Lazar at Los Alamos were found.
– He worked at Los Alamos?
– Yes. The strangest thing I encountered was the complete absence of any documents to support the usual facts of Bob Lazar's biography. All the documents left in the apartment disappeared without a trace. The clinic, in whose archives a copy of Lazar's birth certificate was supposed to be kept. No trace. At school, at the University of California, at the Institute of Technology where Lazar studied and earned his degrees, it was impossible to find a man named Robert Scott Lazar. And Los Alamos National Laboratory officials at first denied that he worked for them. Only when the telephone directory of this closed institution was presented, where the list of employees included not only Robert Lazar's phone number, but also the building and office where he could once be found, did the lab management admit that Lazar had indeed worked for them "in a secondary position. It was more difficult to prove Lazar's involvement in the S4 facility, but there was confirmation. A receipt of tax payment in the United States is a serious document. And so the journalists were shown a receipt certifying that Robert Lazar, living in Las Vegas, had paid taxes in full on the salary paid to him by the Navy Board in 1989.
– All right," Ruthra interrupted him. – What was in the documents you claim were related to the aliens?
– About us being containers for souls. Religion was tailor-made for us.
– I've heard that somewhere before, too.
– Don't think it's trivial. Have you heard anything about the Yellow Book Project, which contains everything about our earthly religions and the one practiced by the aliens themselves?
– No, I don't.
– So, it is much more classified than everything else. But if our earthly religions have been sent down from above, it means that they are only the first initiation, the first step to the higher universal religion, which man has yet to join. It becomes clear why the "Yellow Book" is classified an order of magnitude higher than the technical secrets of flying disks. The authorities realized that they were dealing with a hellish machine capable of shattering the fragile stability of the modern world.
– I think I've encountered something like that too.
– If the agency allowed these classified materials to be released, then it must have had some even more fantastic purpose.
– All right! I understand you. Now listen to me. I'll go to Los Alamos, figure out how they can match the code to the signal encryption, come here, you demonstrate to me the sending of the signal to Russia with source concealment. Then I will get a reply from Russia that the signal was received and the system identified it as valid, but the source of sending cannot be determined. And if that is indeed the case, then I promise to get you and Ruzi freedom of movement in the United States. Unless, of course, the whole problem is what you've told me.
– You don't think that's enough?
– No, I just don't think it's such a big secret anymore. Military technology is, but this isn't.
– Is it?
Ruthra stared at Gabo, wondering if some of this was true, because he really believed it. Ruthra made a joke to lighten the mood, because he needed to make friends with the doctor.
– You're out of touch with life here, in Russia it's commonplace.
– What?
– Aliens.
– I always suspected you had a center like this. There's good reason to think so.
– Calm down, we go out early in the morning, especially after the holidays, there are so many aliens around, swaying, holding on to trees, the laws of gravity act differently on them.
– There you go again.
They both laughed and shook hands. As Rutra left, Gabo said to him: "I want to go to the sea." Rutra became convinced that this was a code phrase; either the sea was the peak of bliss for them, or they associated it with freedom. Probably the latter.
As he thought about what he had heard, he reached the administrator's compartment, who was in his quarters.
– Delighted? – He asked as soon as he saw Ruthra.
– Super," Rutra replied, smiling in his American way.
– You must be hungry, tired? – the administrator asked.
– Tired, yes, but not hungry. I ate in your dining room, thank you.
– How are the results of the scientific endeavor?
– Well, not really.
– I see, they must have messed you up with their aliens. It is because of them, scientists, all this nonsense has become a cult. They are people of science, and their opinion is listened to as an expert. From time to time they try to make a sensation, leaving, so to speak, from scientific work to show business.
– I want to come back soon and try one experiment.
– What's that? It's a restricted facility.
– No more than what's in the contract.
– And yet? I mean, it's got to be documented, accounted for.
– Long-range signal transmission using a reflector. Perhaps an extraterrestrial reflector, somewhere in orbit, or even further away.
– I see you're infected. Everyone here gets infected, then they get delusional. The technology that's official for civilians is a notch or two below what we have. Otherwise, how do you run a society? You probably know that, since you're here.
"Yes, it's very familiar to me," thought Ruthra.
– Yes, I realize that, but everything else I've already checked, it's still like this.
– Okay, no problem.
They said their goodbyes, Rutra was escorted to the capsule conduit, and he left for the base below the airport.